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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fine — all right
  3. mate — a friend
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fork — in a road
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mate — a partner
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com